"Pastoral" is Watanabe; it is the putting together of everything he has learned in the past 18 years. His experiences in jazz, the classics and the blending of sounds and rhythms show him off as the complete musician. Having been on hand for this most unusual recording session, I can personally attest to Watanabe's virtuosity and inventiveness. The session was long and arduous because Watanabe is a perfectionist. He would play and listen, play and listen and then play it all over again. Sadao doesn't like to think of himself as only a jazzist although he has played with some of the best, both in the United States and Brazil. His good friends Gary McFarland and Chico Hamilton have had some influence on him, but what he does, he does from somewhere deep inside his soul. All of the compositions in this album are Watanabe's and it should establish him as one of the best young composers in Japan. Sitting through this album is an experience. It is one of the finest recordings my ears have heard in a very long time. Watanabe inspires; he reaches for the heights; he satisfies the most critical jazz buff while never offending the casual listener. This is a true test of greatness.

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